Legendary Singer and Longtime Upper West Sider Roberta Flack Dies at 88

Chart-topping songstress, classically-trained pianist and cultural trailblazer Roberta Flack passed away Monday in Manhattan. According to The New York Times, a cardiac arrest en route to the hospital was to blame (the 88-year-old had also been suffering from ALS in recent years, leaving her unable to sing).

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Born in Farmville, North Carolina, Flack made her way to Washington, D.C. to attend Howard University. After graduating, she spent years teaching music in the area and honing her skills as a chanteuse at the District’s notable nightclubs. In the early ‘70s, Flack’s big break came courtesy of “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face,” a Billboard number one smash that appears on the soundtrack of Clint Eastwood’s directorial debut Play Misty for Me. From there, Flack’s star skyrocketed — the “quiet storm” pioneer released hit after hit (most notably “Killing Me Softly with His Song” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love”), snagged four Grammy Awards and found her way to fame, fortune and the Upper West Side.

Back in 1975, Flack packed her bags and set up shop at the world-renowned Dakota, located at 1 West 72nd Street. The two-bed, two-bathroom property spanned 2,000 square feet, boasting four fireplaces and 12-foot ceilings. Of course, Flack wasn’t the only famous face gracing the Dakota’s hallowed halls. While a laundry list of power players shacked up by Strawberry Fields during her four-decade tenure, John Lennon and Yoko Ono are most closely associated with the co-op. The duo lived in the unit next door from Flack’s and became fast friends. In fact, Flack eventually released an album of Beatles covers in honor of her late neighbor.

After nearly three years on the market, Flack’s property sold in April 2018 to producer Eric Eisner and Alice + Olivia founder Stacey Bendet Eisner for just under $7 million, who reportedly combined the unit with Judy Garland’s former home (if walls could sing…).

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The combination of “international superstar” and “neighborhood fixture” may seem like a tricky balance, but Flack always hit the right notes. One reader, Steve Galiczynski, shared his story of meeting the iconic artist, stating: “When I first arrived in NYC, I was walking in Central Park. As I exited at 72nd St. and was walking towards the Dakota Building, I saw her… being new to the city, I wasn’t used to seeing celebrities. I was definitely star struck. Adrenaline was pumping through me as I walked right up to her and asked for an autograph. She gave me a huge smile and started digging through her bag. I had a pad of note paper that my old roommate had given me. I whipped it out. She wrote, ‘Steve, Love is a Song…’”

Rest in peace, Roberta Flack.

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